West Elkridge weather in May

In May, West Elkridge sees average daytime highs of 73°F and overnight lows near 56°F, with 3.8 in of rain across 11.4 wet days and about 14.1 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 69°F in the first days to 77°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is West Elkridge's 12th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see West Elkridge's year-round climate.

Daytime high
73°
5th warmest
Overnight low
56°
8th coldest
Rainfall
3.8 in
11.4 wet days
Daylight
14 h 06 min
4:59 AM – 7:07 PM
Cloud cover
63%
12th clearest
Wind
7 mph
8th windiest
Solar energy
5.7 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.5
out of 10

West Elkridge is human settlement in Howard County, Maryland, United States of America.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 69°F in the first days to 77°F by the end.

A typical May day in West Elkridge reaches about 73°F in the afternoon and slips back to 56°F overnight — a 17°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 61°F and 85°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 9°F warmer than April and about 9°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16951
26952
36952
47052
57053
67053
77053
87154
97154
107154
117154
127255
137255
147255
157355
167356
177356
187356
197457
207457
217457
227558
237558
247659
257659
267659
277760
287760
297760
307861
317861

How May really feels in West Elkridge

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

West Elkridge weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan42° / 28°3.18.539.60.2
Feb44° / 29°2.98.53.210.50.9
Mar53° / 36°4.010.32.211.73.0
Apr64° / 47°3.510.30.2135.7
May73° / 56°3.811.4014.16.5
Jun82° / 65°3.711.6014.75.8
Jul86° / 70°4.212.1014.54.7
Aug84° / 69°3.710.9013.55.4
Sep78° / 61°4.69.1012.36.9
Oct66° / 50°3.680116.4
Nov55° / 39°3.07.60.29.93.8
Dec46° / 32°3.791.79.31.2

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in May, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 56%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24456
34555
44555
54555
64456
74456
84456
94456
104456
114456
124456
134456
144456
154456
164456
174456
184456
194357
204456
214456
224456
234456
244456
254456
264456
274555
284555
294555
304456
314456

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

West Elkridge gets around 3.8 in of rain over 11.4 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 37% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
136
236
336
436
536
636
736
836
936
1037
1137
1237
1337
1437
1537
1637
1737
1837
1937
2037
2137
2237
2337
2437
2537
2637
2736
2836
2936
3036
3136

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 57% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 9% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
17715710
27615810
37516810
47217920
57118920
670181020
769191020
867191130
967191130
1065191240
1164201240
1263191350
1363191350
1461191460
1560191470
1659191570
1758191580
1856191690
1955191790
20531917101
21511918111
22491919121
23481919131
24461920141
25442020142
26432020152
27422020162
28402021162
29392121172
30382121183
31372121183

Wind in May

Winds average 7 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 36 min at the start of May to 14 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 54 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:15 AM to 4:49 AM, and sunset from 6:53 PM to 7:20 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.65:156:53
213.75:146:54
313.75:136:55
413.75:126:56
513.85:106:57
613.85:096:58
713.85:086:59
813.95:077:00
913.95:067:01
1013.95:057:02
1114.05:047:03
1214.05:037:04
1314.05:027:05
1414.15:017:05
1514.15:007:06
1614.14:597:07
1714.24:587:08
1814.24:577:09
1914.24:567:10
2014.34:567:11
2114.34:557:12
2214.34:547:13
2314.34:537:14
2414.44:537:14
2514.44:527:15
2614.44:517:16
2714.44:517:17
2814.54:507:18
2914.54:507:19
3014.54:497:19
3114.54:497:20

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.7 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.92 kWh/m² to a high of 6.11 kWh/m² in June across the year — May's 5.7 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.5Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.5Bright
75.5Bright
85.5Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.7Bright
205.7Bright
215.7Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.9Bright
285.9Bright
295.9Bright
305.9Bright
315.9Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for West Elkridge

In seasonPeak

None of West Elkridge's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

West Elkridge sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit West Elkridge?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.5
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
4.9
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit West Elkridge for sightseeing.

What to pack for West Elkridge in May

From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In May, West Elkridge sees daytime highs around 73°F and nights near 56°F. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 11 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near West Elkridge in May

The nearest coast averages about 58°F in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 20 mi away) is warmest in August at about 78°F and coldest in February near 36°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 16 to Oct 5 — about 3.7 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan38Bracing
Feb36Bracing
Mar40Bracing
Apr47Bracing
May58Bracing
Jun68Refreshing
Jul76Warm
Aug78Warm
Sep74Refreshing
Oct65Cool
Nov53Bracing
Dec44Bracing

UV index in West Elkridge in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in West Elkridge peaks around July 10 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 10UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7High
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in West Elkridge in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in West Elkridge is worst in July — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.0× the cleanest month (November, 8 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Nov 118 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb12Good
Mar13Moderate
Apr13Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul17Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct9Good
Nov8Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is West Elkridge?

West Elkridge sits at 39.2°N, 76.7°W, 220 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Elkridge, 0.6 mi away.

Topography around West Elkridge

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of West Elkridge.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around West Elkridge has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 449 ft around an average of 180 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 630 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,028 ft.

The land around West Elkridge is covered by trees (74%) within 2 miles, trees (59%) and artificial surfaces (27%) within 10 miles, and trees (53%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
449 ft
10 miles
630 ft
50 miles
2,028 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
May weather nearby: Elkridge 0.6 mi · Hanover 1.2 mi · Arbutus 3.7 mi · Ilchester 3.7 mi · Catonsville 4.3 mi · Ferndale 5.0 mi · Severn 5.0 mi · Ellicott City 5.6 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for West Elkridge (39.2071°, -76.7269°, elevation 220 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).